--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I try not to dwell on the past. I'm not a…" description: "\"I try not to dwell on the past. I'm not a big go-back-and-try-to-relive-your-past kinda person.\" — John Cusack" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/700/john-cusack-3209_bigs_i-try-not-to-dwell-on-the-past-i-m-not-a_1902966.png" --- # I try not to dwell on the past. I'm not a big… ![“I try not to dwell on the past. I'm not a big go-back-and-try-to-relive-your-past kinda person.” quote by John Cusack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/700/john-cusack-3209_bigs_i-try-not-to-dwell-on-the-past-i-m-not-a_1902966.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/700/john-cusack-3209_bigs_i-try-not-to-dwell-on-the-past-i-m-not-a_1902966.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/700/john-cusack-3209_bigs_i-try-not-to-dwell-on-the-past-i-m-not-a_1902966.png) > “I try not to dwell on the past. I'm not a big go-back-and-try-to-relive-your-past kinda person.” [John Cusack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cusack/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Avoid lingering on past experiences; focus on present and future actions. **In simple terms:** Don't dwell on the past. Key Takeaway Live forward, let go. Themes acceptance present focus growth Mood reflective calm Type advice motivational When to use this quote - career change - personal relationships - habit change Key Concepts mindfulness letting go Questions to Reflect On - What past patterns hold you back? - How can you stay present? A Different Perspective Risk of ignoring valuable lessons. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Dwell on the past](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dwell-on-the-past/) [Future](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/future/) [Past](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/past/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Your past](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/your-past/) ## Related quotes > [Every match is different, which is why we should not dwell on the past.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/klaas-jan-huntelaar/every-match-is-different-which-is-why-we-should-not-dwell-on-the-past/) [Klaas-Jan Huntelaar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/klaas-jan-huntelaar/) > [I can't really dwell on the past.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amar-e-stoudemire/i-can-t-really-dwell-on-the-past/) [Amar'e Stoudemire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amar-e-stoudemire/) > [Just that dwelling and planning is bullshit, you dwell on the past, you can’t move forward. Spend too much time planning for the future…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-a-redmerski/just-that-dwelling-and-planning-is-bullshit-you-dwell-on-the-past-you/) [J.A. Redmerski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-a-redmerski/) > [I can't dwell on the past. It's over, there's nothing I can do about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-gonzalez/i-can-t-dwell-on-the-past-it-s-over-there-s-nothing-i-can-do-about-it/) [Tony Gonzalez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-gonzalez/) > [I don't like to dwell on the past.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tina-turner/i-don-t-like-to-dwell-on-the-past/) [Tina Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tina-turner/) > [Too many people dwell on the past: the thing is to get on with life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zarin-mehta/too-many-people-dwell-on-the-past-the-thing-is-to-get-on-with-life/) [Zarin Mehta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zarin-mehta/) > [I can't dwell on the past, that I haven't won a lot, but anytime I didn't play good was mainly because I didn't putt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-daly/i-can-t-dwell-on-the-past-that-i-haven-t-won-a-lot-but-anytime-i-didn/) [John Daly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-daly/) > [I try not to dwell on the past because I can't change anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-morrison/i-try-not-to-dwell-on-the-past-because-i-can-t-change-anything/) [Mark Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-morrison/) > [If you constantly dwell on the past that's where you end up living.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-weston/if-you-constantly-dwell-on-the-past-that-s-where-you-end-up-living/) [Simon Weston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-weston/) > [I'm not one to dwell on the past and have resentments.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-wicks/i-m-not-one-to-dwell-on-the-past-and-have-resentments/) [Joe Wicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-wicks/) > [“…dwelling and planning is bullshit,” he says. “You dwell on the past, you can’t move forward. Spend too much time planning for the future…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-a-redmerski/dwelling-and-planning-is-bullshit-he-says-you-dwell-on-the-past-you/) [J.A. Redmerski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-a-redmerski/) > [Don't dwell on the past in life , because it willn't allow you to move on in life , for the better things that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damian-coleman/don-t-dwell-on-the-past-in-life-because-it-willn-t-allow-you-to-move/) [Damian Coleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damian-coleman/) > [Don't waste time on what's not important. Don't get sucked into the drama. Get on with it: don't dwell on the past. Be a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allegra-huston/don-t-waste-time-on-what-s-not-important-don-t-get-sucked-into-the/) [Allegra Huston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allegra-huston/) > [I wish it wasn't so natural for me to dwell on the past.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-zhang/i-wish-it-wasn-t-so-natural-for-me-to-dwell-on-the-past/) [Jenny Zhang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-zhang/) > [When you continue to dwell on the past, there's no chance for a future. History repeats itself, thus, it's ok to LOOK back at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-you-continue-to-dwell-on-the-past-there-s-no-chance-for-a-future/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by John Cusack > [The elderly have so much to offer. They're our link with history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cusack/the-elderly-have-so-much-to-offer-they-re-our-link-with-history/) [John Cusack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cusack/) > [You just try to get the best jobs that you can get. Sometimes I produce my own movies, so that's your own sort of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cusack/you-just-try-to-get-the-best-jobs-that-you-can-get-sometimes-i/) [John Cusack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cusack/) > [But, you know, I'm sorry, I think democracy requires participation. I mean, I don't want to proselytize but I do feel some sort of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cusack/but-you-know-i-m-sorry-i-think-democracy-requires-participation-i/) [John Cusack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cusack/) > [If you help manufacture an enemy that's really evil, you can point to the fact that it's really evil, and say, "Hey, it's really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cusack/if-you-help-manufacture-an-enemy-that-s-really-evil-you-can-point-to/) [John Cusack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cusack/) > [My point was that it's hard to make good films, but I'm not under any illusion that you do all the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cusack/my-point-was-that-it-s-hard-to-make-good-films-but-i-m-not-under-any/) [John Cusack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cusack/) > [I read Noam Chomsky. I like some of Gore Vidal's stuff.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cusack/i-read-noam-chomsky-i-like-some-of-gore-vidal-s-stuff/) [John Cusack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cusack/) > [There's also some element of coming of age during the Reagan administration, which everybody has painted as some glorious time in America, but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cusack/there-s-also-some-element-of-coming-of-age-during-the-reagan/) [John Cusack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cusack/) > [You can only really judge yourself in comparison to other people. How bad you are, but you're not as bad as someone else. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cusack/you-can-only-really-judge-yourself-in-comparison-to-other-people-how/) [John Cusack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cusack/) > [But no, I don't really like romantic comedies, so I don't really care. I never go see 'em.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cusack/but-no-i-don-t-really-like-romantic-comedies-so-i-don-t-really-care-i/) [John Cusack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cusack/) > [I was a teen star. That's disgusting enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cusack/i-was-a-teen-star-that-s-disgusting-enough/) [John Cusack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cusack/) > [Well, acting itself is a form of rebellion, always. Getting up there in front of people, telling stories - you're kind of going against…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cusack/well-acting-itself-is-a-form-of-rebellion-always-getting-up-there-in/) [John Cusack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cusack/) > [I think everything has some politics to it. It's just whether or not it admits to it. Politics is weird. I don't even know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cusack/i-think-everything-has-some-politics-to-it-it-s-just-whether-or-not/) [John Cusack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cusack/) > [I just love the process of working with other actors. It's like jamming with a musician, except it takes a little more effort to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cusack/i-just-love-the-process-of-working-with-other-actors-it-s-like/) [John Cusack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cusack/) > [Maybe the absence of signs is a sign.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cusack/maybe-the-absence-of-signs-is-a-sign/) [John Cusack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cusack/) > [Satire is meant to have teeth; satire is meant to be dangerous. But it also happens to be fun because subversion and telling the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cusack/satire-is-meant-to-have-teeth-satire-is-meant-to-be-dangerous-but-it/) [John Cusack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cusack/) [Explore all 136 John Cusack quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cusack/) ## More Bigs quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [It is said that history turns on small hinges. A human career, too, results from an accumulating series of decisions about large and small…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-vincent-peale/it-is-said-that-history-turns-on-small-hinges-a-human-career-too/) [Norman Vincent Peale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-vincent-peale/) > [I'm a true believer in prayer, a big believer in prayer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-jackson/i-m-a-true-believer-in-prayer-a-big-believer-in-prayer/) [Janet Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-jackson/) > [The biggest change for me as a mom was realizing I needed to put someone else before me. Now the hardest part about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-alexis/the-biggest-change-for-me-as-a-mom-was-realizing-i-needed-to-put/) [Kim Alexis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-alexis/) > [I'm a big fan of all the Boston guys that are acting - Matt Damon , Ben Affleck, Mark Wahlberg - they made a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-wormald/i-m-a-big-fan-of-all-the-boston-guys-that-are-acting-matt-damon-ben/) [Kenny Wormald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-wormald/) > [The only regret I have in my career, is my managers wanted a big payday, and I wanted four or five more fights before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerry-cooney/the-only-regret-i-have-in-my-career-is-my-managers-wanted-a-big/) [Gerry Cooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerry-cooney/) > [It goes to show you how we in the press so often miss the big stories that are right under our noses. There is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/it-goes-to-show-you-how-we-in-the-press-so-often-miss-the-big-stories/) [Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/) > [Okay, so I'll admit I'm curious. Big deal. We both know what that leads to. Dead cat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-elizabeth-phillips/okay-so-i-ll-admit-i-m-curious-big-deal-we-both-know-what-that-leads/) [Susan Elizabeth Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-elizabeth-phillips/) > [I don't want this to be a distraction. This has been distracting enough. I'm not going to rehash this going forward. I'm sure other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jayson-werth/i-don-t-want-this-to-be-a-distraction-this-has-been-distracting/) [Jayson Werth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jayson-werth/) > [I didn't get how big it was until I went home, turned on the television and saw it on all the news, and later…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-simon/i-didn-t-get-how-big-it-was-until-i-went-home-turned-on-the/) [Paul Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-simon/) > [It’s a small thing to help one animal, but to that one animal it’s a big thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-baur/it-s-a-small-thing-to-help-one-animal-but-to-that-one-animal-it-s-a/) [Gene Baur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-baur/) > [Since I was a little child, my nose - I think it's too big.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/celine-dion/since-i-was-a-little-child-my-nose-i-think-it-s-too-big/) [Celine Dion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/celine-dion/) > [People forget that there is a big difference between coercion and persuasion. The idea that evangelism is coercive is nonsense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-dever/people-forget-that-there-is-a-big-difference-between-coercion-and/) [Mark Dever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-dever/) > [I turn a lot of stuff down - big, big movies, the kind I wouldn't want to go to the cinema to see.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-fox/i-turn-a-lot-of-stuff-down-big-big-movies-the-kind-i-wouldn-t-want-to/) [Matthew Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-fox/) > [I got in trouble my whole life for having a big mouth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-tyler/i-got-in-trouble-my-whole-life-for-having-a-big-mouth/) [Steven Tyler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-tyler/) Browse all 15,539 Bigs quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I try not to dwell on the past. I'm not a big go-back-and-try-to-relive-your-past kinda person.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Cusack" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cusack/i-try-not-to-dwell-on-the-past-i-m-not-a-big-go-back-and-try-to/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Bigs" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cusack/i-try-not-to-dwell-on-the-past-i-m-not-a-big-go-back-and-try-to/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/700/john-cusack-3209_bigs_i-try-not-to-dwell-on-the-past-i-m-not-a_1902966.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/700/john-cusack-3209_bigs_i-try-not-to-dwell-on-the-past-i-m-not-a_1902966.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/700/john-cusack-3209_bigs_i-try-not-to-dwell-on-the-past-i-m-not-a_1902966.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I try not to dwell on the past. I'm not a big go-back-and-try-to-relive-your-past kinda person.” — John Cusack", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "John Cusack", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cusack/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I try not to dwell on...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cusack/i-try-not-to-dwell-on-the-past-i-m-not-a-big-go-back-and-try-to/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cusack/i-try-not-to-dwell-on-the-past-i-m-not-a-big-go-back-and-try-to/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```